What Happened to All the Hunger Games Love?

Is it just me? Am I the only one still excited about The Hunger Games‘ final installment, Mockingjay Part 2? It seems like people have forgotten about it, or at least there’s not as much fanfare about it as there was in past years. I don’t understand. I personally can’t wait to see the final installment, and it’s one of only a few movies I’m really looking forward to this winter (and no, I don’t include Star Wars in that small list).

For the uninitiated, The Hunger Games is a quadrilogy of films based on the trilogy of young adult novels by Suzanne Collins. It tells the story of Katniss Everdeen (played by Jennifer Lawrence), a teenage girl living in a dystopian society, called Panem, that forces 24 of its kids every year to participate in the Hunger Games, a barbaric fight to the death that’s televised across the nation as mandatory viewing. Katniss volunteers to participate in the games in place of her sister, which starts her off on an eventual journey to save her country from the tyrant leader, President Snow (Donald Sutherland).

Yep. This is a young adult novel. You can tell cause there’s a love triangle in it.

The three books, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay, are incredible. They’re very well written, completely engaging, and exciting page turners, if a little disturbing and heavy, especially for a young adult series (this may be a reason for the lack of buzz, since Mockingjay is the darkest chapter of the series). I’ve read them all at least twice—which for me, is very rare. I’m an extremely slow reader, so there are very few books I’ve read, especially before they were adapted into films.

The movies have been the talk of pop culture and entertainment publications since it was announced that the books would be adapted for film. The three main stars, Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, and Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne (the two boys that make up the central love triangle), have been thrust into a huge spotlight and their lives will never be the same. There’s been massive buzz surrounding all of the first three movies, and a lot of buzz about the final installment, but somehow, it seems like it’s died down. A lot.

People were always a little reluctant about Lionsgate Studios’ decision to break the final book into two movies. Perhaps that’s starting to bite them in the butt, because it seems like there’s less talk about it, and less coverage. Entertainment Weekly even left it out of their Holiday Movie Preview issue last week (at least the print edition), despite promising it on the front cover. They simply mentioned the film in passing, as part of a short profile of actress Gwendoline Christie, because she’s in it.

Problem is, Christie is also in another hotly (very, very hotly) anticipated new sequel, one that has been capturing ALL the buzz—and probably taking some away from Mockingjay Part 2. That movie, of course? Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

That may also be the reason for my biggest heartbreak in the lack of Hunger Games buzz this year: No marathon! You may remember last year, Alex and I went to the theatre to see all three Hunger Games movies in the theatre, in a day-long marathon showing. I loved it, and I’ve been looking forward to going to a marathon again this year before the final installment. All four movies, on the big screen! So exciting!

But I can’t find it anywhere and it doesn’t seem to be happening!!! What’s up with that?

We are—rather crazily—going to the Star Wars marathon in December: starting at 1 a.m.(!) with The Phantom Menace, they’re showing all six films, all day long, followed by opening night of the new one. It’s going to be a loooong day.

But no Hunger Games Marathon??? I’m very sad about that. I know, #FirstWorldProblems, but still. I’m disappointed.

So what do you think, readers? Are you excited for the final Hunger Games film? Do you also feel like there’s less buzz surrounding it this year? If so, why do you think that is?

3 thoughts on “What Happened to All the Hunger Games Love?”

Yes, it may well be! 🙂 We may not go to the theatre at 1 a.m., we may just pass on the first three and show up for A New Hope at 10 a.m. But it also could be interesting to write about the experience. I have to think on it some more.

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